Horseshoes and Handgrenades
by Amends to the Living
Summary: "Good morning, Jane. I didn't wake you, did I?" "Yes, your absence did." Maura helps Jane accomplish one of her childhood dreams, but not without facing a few complications along the way. Pre-established Rizzles.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Set somewhere in the future. Pre-established Rizzles. I don't own the show or its darling characters, I merely play with them and place them in awkward, funny situations for my entertainment. Cheers (:

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><p>Once her dark brown eyes fluttered open to greet the morning light filtering in through the window, Jane Rizzoli's thought process was relatively simple. It consisted of Maura, coffee, and feeding Jo. The fact that it was also Sunday morning meant that she had to add the newspaper to her agenda.<p>

Turning to snuggle into honey blonde hair, the detective found herself reaching out for thin air. Lifting her head from her pillow, she let her fingertips graze over the warmth that was still left over on the other side of the bed. Satisfied that at least she wasn't going out of her mind, her bare feet hit the cold floor and she shuffled across it with little enthusiasm or effort.

She had never been a morning person. Of course, after a few daily doses of caffeine she was ready to go, but that didn't mean that she was a fan. She _might_ have been temporarily happy today, if Maura had stayed in bed, but those hopes were dashed.

With her voice still thick with sleep and lack of use, Jane cleared her throat as she hovered behind the M.E. seated on the couch. She peered down at the laptop resting on her lap, partially jealous that the electric device was taking her place. But before she could get a good look at the screen, Maura had minimized the window and was peering up at her with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Jane," she greeted as the brunette plopped down on the couch opposite of her, bouncing slightly from the force and shift in equilibrium. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"Yes," Jane mumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to ignore the rising guilt in those pools of green. "Your absence did."

That caused Maura to smile, leaning over to indulge her pouty lover in a morning kiss. It was meant to be soft and playful, but Jane tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth, distracting her enough to snag the laptop from her grasp when her hands went up to tangle in the brunette's hair.

"Let's see what we've got here," Jane said breathlessly as she pulled away slightly, her eyebrow curved in a humble victory as she clicked open one of the windows. It was a search result on eBay for pink canopies… and not just any canopy, but a Couture canopy dog bed.

"Now, when you said you wanted a pink canopy…"

"I did, when I was a child. However, since I feel that I have outgrown that want, I think it would be nice for Jo."

"You want Jo to live out your dream? Really? How much is… oh my God! Maura, this is $225!" Jane practically yelped when she clicked on the item, her dark eyes raking over the bids. So much for a homicidal maniac or a sociopath taking the cake. These people had _real_ issues.

"It's Couture, Jane," Maura stated firmly, unwavering in her assessment of her present for Jo.

"I don't care if the president's dog personally slept in it. Have you seen Jo at the park? They sniff each others' butts to get to know each other," Jane explained with a shake of her head, handing the laptop back to Maura with her curiosity successfully trumped. "Trust me when I tell you that she doesn't need anything fancy."

Maura could have calmly explained to Jane why dogs used that sort of greeting instead of a human's usual handshake, but she didn't think it would change her mind at all. She didn't view it as a personal attack on her character, knowing from experience that Jane was more reluctant about price than how nice something was. So instead, she sighed gently and settled back into the couch when Jane retreated to the kitchen.

"There's no beer," she heard Jane mumble aloud to herself in disbelief, before the sounds of bottles clinking echoed throughout the well-furnished apartment. "There's about twenty bottles of wine and there's no beer." Poking her head out of the kitchen, she repeated, "Maur, there's no beer!"

"No, Jane. There's no beer."

"How am I supposed to get through Sunday dinner?" Jane asked in borderline panic, rummaging around the cabinets for something strong. Things had become much more tense since her parents split. Her mother still insisted on keeping their tradition alive, but it was usually just her and Jane. Frankie would find some excuse to get out of it, preferring to stop by during the week.

"I'll be there," Maura answered gently, her voice suddenly a lot more clear now that she was also standing in the kitchen. Reaching over for Jane's hand, her thumb gently rubbed over the scar and soothed the brunette for reasons unknown. "And you should feel a lot more relaxed after we get through the plans that I have for us today."

"Plans?" Jane repeated slowly, wondering what the medical examiner was hiding up her sleeve.

Maura simply nodded, a mischievous grin stretching across her curved lips as she leaned up to peck Jane's cheek before moving out of the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Maur, this feels like a hostage situation," Jane protested from behind the scarf that was tied around her head and covering her eyes. Although she had complete faith and trust in the other woman, she couldn't help but fret about the unknown. Maura had insisted that she put it on since they got into the car and she had felt every single little bump on the road along the way.<p>

So far, she had counted about sixteen, but that didn't tell her much of anything.

When she felt the car roll to a complete stop, Jane parted her lips to speak again, but she was stopped by the index finger resting on her mouth. "Do you trust me, Jane?" It wasn't the first time she heard that question, but she never got tired of the sincerity and vulnerability behind it.

"Of course, I do. That's not even—"

"Then stop talking and follow me," Maura cut her off with a gentle kiss, before she heard the click of a seat belt being unbuckled and reached for her own. Feeling another pair of hands gliding over hers for assistance, she sighed and relented, allowing the other woman to help her out of the car. As soon as the mixed smells in the air hit her nose, she sneezed.

Reaching up to rub her nose, Jane was relieved when Maura finally loosened the blindfold, letting it fall on her shoulders as she stepped back to allow the brunette a better look at their surroundings. They were _definitely not_ in the city anymore. She sneezed again, tossing the scarf over her shoulder and into the car.

"What is this? Are we in hell?"

Maura stared at Jane for a moment, before following her line of vision in hopes of understanding what was so off-putting about their location. "No. The temperature is far too hot and some people believe that animals don't have a soul, so they wouldn't go to hell."

Jane glanced at Maura with a look of disbelief, wrinkling her nose in anticipation for another sneeze fit. "So… what are we doing _here_? Aren't you going to ruin your shoes in the dirt?"

Maura laughed at that. "Of course not, Jane. I had specially designed shoes for the marathon and a water resistant suit for our baseball game. Do you really think I wouldn't be prepared for this?"

Jane nodded, glancing down at the riding boots that Maura was now donning. "Good point. Well, lead the way, cowgirl." It suddenly made sense why she had been asked to wear casual clothing, which was basically her whole closet according to the honey blonde. Even her 'going out' clothes were barely sub par, so she figured that a pair of sneakers, some comfortable jeans, and one of her worn out baseball tees would do.

She had anticipated the feeling of being left out, as Maura usually dragged her along to formal events, so she was at a loss as to what they were doing all the way out here.

Walking up to the stable, they were immediately greeted by one of the stablehands, whom tipped his hat in a warm greeting. "Lookin' for something, ladies?" He was nicely tanned and he clearly worked there doing most of the heavy lifting jobs, like probably working the tractor that they had seen parked out front on their way there.

He was also jailbait.

"Yes, I'm Maura Isles. And you're Maxwell, if I'm not mistaken? I spoke to your father earlier today, he's expecting us," the M.E. introduced herself with a firm handshake, not missing the way that his eyes lingered a little longer on Jane than on her. "This is Jane, my partner."

"Nice to meet ya," Max nodded with a warm smile directed towards them both, a little surprised by the strength in Jane's handshake. As they walked towards the house, he couldn't help but notice the women's proximity and curiosity killed the cat. "What exactly do ya'll do?"

"I'm a detective and she's a medical examiner," Jane replied, trying to keep it light and hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions. She was going to let Maura answer, but then she figured that the boy could be spared from the gruesome tales of autopsies and walls decorated with brain matter. She remained oblivious to his increasing interest in her over the blonde.

"So you two work together? As partners?" Max asked with an impressed twinkle in his bright blue eyes, reaching up to rake his hand through his short brown hair.

"We work together at the precinct, but another detective is my partner," Jane said with a small shake of her head, not sure where the kid was going with this.

"Oh," was the simple response, while his eyes moved conspicuously towards their linked hands.

"Why don't you go ahead and let your father know that we're here? We'll catch up," Maura suggested, watching as he nodded and eagerly ran ahead of them towards the house. Then she turned towards Jane with a growing smile.

* * *

><p>"Jaaane," the coroner said slowly, drawing out the brunette's name with a curved brow.<p>

Jane turned her head to meet her gaze, before raising her own brow. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something in my teeth?"

"He was clearly flirting with you," Maura stated with a neutral tone, a little surprised that she had picked up on some social cues that Jane had not. "And he was trying to ascertain your status."

"My status? As what, a U.S. citizen?" Jane retorted with a chuckle, groaning audibly when she heard the sound of barks coming from the house nearby. "Oh great, Jo's going to hate me for the next week and a half. The last time I walked another dog, she kept staring at my clothes like it was going to mutate."

"Jane," Maura repeated, clearly unfazed by Jane's distraction tactic. "He was trying to find out your relationship status."

"Well, _you_ brought me here. I don't know what to expect and I don't know what you want me to say. It's not like he—oh, you mean, he doesn't know we're…?"

"No, I think it's safe to say that he's mildly perplexed by this situation," Maura said with a shake of her head, giving Jane's hand a little squeeze. "Of course, I would only be guessing, unless I performed a few tests…"

Jane could almost see the gears turning in the blonde's head and it was always fascinating to her how quickly she moved through thought processes. Usually she was left behind, stuck between some scientific term and a name brand, and Maura would have to guide her through her complicated dialect. Then suddenly, it clicked in Jane's head.

"Wait a minute, he thinks I'm… _with_ Frost? Really? Gross!"

Maura laughed again, pulling Jane along the small path that lead up to the main house. It was rather humble in size, but it was well looked after and she made a mental note to ask them for their gardener's contact information. Before they even got four feet from the door, an older man opened the door and greeted Maura with a hug.

It even looked like a bear hug, from where Jane was standing.

"Maura Isles! My lord, how you've grown! And who is that strapping young woman you've brought with you?" he asked, barely allowing any time for an introduction as he moved over to offer his hand to Jane. "I'm Peter Carson. I'm pretty sure you've already met my son, Max."

"Yes, I have. It's nice to meet you. I'm Jane Rizzoli," the brunette detective greeted him with a friendly smile, reaching out to shake his hand but thrown off when she was pulled into a hug instead. When her circulation was almost cut off, Maura quickly noticed and steered the older man further into the house with some general chitchat to catch up.

Almost immediately, two large dogs greeted the women, one of them bounding outside towards Jane and sniffing her shoe, while his tail wagged.

Every time she took a step, the dog placed his nose back on her shoe, until her attention was so diverted towards the scene that she lifted up her foot and saw that she had stepped in something. "Shit," she muttered, remaining on the porch as she tried to wipe off her sole on the edge. _She_ was the one that was tougher and used to rough housing with her brothers all the time, so she didn't expect the roles to be reversed this way. And the fact that Maura knew someone that wasn't from a high-class, flashy lifestyle intrigued her to no end.

She heard someone chuckle from behind the front door, looking up to see Maxwell pressing his curled fist to his mouth and clearing his throat.

This was going to be a fan-freakin-tastic day, she could just feel it in her bones.


	2. Chapter 2

Once the shoe crisis was averted, both Jane and Maura were sitting in the living room with the Carson family. Maura would tip her head back every time something funny was said, thus exposing her slender neck to her girlfriend's searching dark brown eyes and making them darken slightly. However, she didn't seem to notice Jane's aroused reaction… or simply chose not to address it.

_Tease._

Maxwell was perched on the windowsill, sitting near his father whom was having a grand time moving to and fro in his wicker rocking chair. His blue eyes were focused intently on Jane, who would notice his stare practically burning a hole into the side of her head and would unexpectedly meet his gaze every now and then. At that point, he would sheepishly turn away. Busted.

"So I heard that you're interested in horses," Peter said as he gazed in Jane's direction, causing everyone else to look at her as well (unless they had already been doing so all along, like Max).

"What? Me? Well… I mean, I wanted one when I was a kid, but I honestly don't know anything about them," Jane replied, a little caught off guard by the direction that the conversation had taken; or maybe it was just because _she_ was so used to doing the interrogating, not the other way around. She distinctly remembered telling Maura about it once in a joking manner, but leave it to the medical examiner to take things seriously.

And now that she thought about it, the pink canopy made _a lot_ more sense.

"Great! I'll have Max saddle one of our finest and we'll change that right away," Peter exclaimed as he got up on to his feet and clasped his hands together, nodding to his son who was already collecting his hat with one foot out the door.

Jane glanced at Maura, not entirely sure that she wanted to actually get on a horse, but not wanting to seem like a coward either. She had taken down perps and visited sociopaths in prison, so this shouldn't be too bad. Still, a horse was a pretty large animal…

Sensing Jane's distress, Maura rested her head on Jane's shoulder so that she could speak in a lower register without seeming like they were having a private conversation. This wasn't their residence and she didn't want to seem rude or anything. "It's alright, Jane. I could always ask them to get a pony… but I distinctly remember you saying that you wanted a horse."

"I don't want a damn pony," Jane mumbled as she leaned over to press her lips against Maura's forehead, before moving up on to her feet with a firm sense of determination, hoping that it wouldn't waver when she was actually facing the brute. "Let's do this."

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><p>"This is Flash, he's a Palomino and a former prized stallion," Max stated as he made sure that the saddle was strapped in well, holding the reins in one hand as he extended the other to an uncertain looking Jane.<p>

Its shiny coat was gold with a light cream mane and tail, which was waving around constantly and flicking at the flying bugs. It reminded Jane of a certain warrior's horse from a television show that was a guilty pleasure since she was a kid. She had always felt like she could relate to the dark-haired warrior, whose kindred spirit also happened to be a blonde. Go figure.

Maura pulled back the reins minutely to slow the gait of the majestic and graceful Arabian horse that she was riding. Its coat was a deep chestnut color with white-tipped feet and it had the form of a white diamond on its forehead. It also had a high tail and a distinctive head shape. It certainly matched the rider in terms of sophistication and elegance, right down to its calculated, yet naturally graceful stride.

In fact, Jane was pretty sure it was one of those horses that they tend to use in gladiator and medieval time movies, and although she could have received a small history lesson if she mentioned it aloud, she chose instead to focus on the task of getting up on the tall, powerful animal without any injuries.

"So, what happened to him?" the brunette asked as she stroked Flash's coat gently, trying to get acquainted with the very thing that might kill her… and _maybe_ also putting off the inevitable for a moment or two longer.

What? It doesn't hurt to gain a little knowledge from this life experience, does it? Well, it might actually hurt… but she was trying real hard not to think about that right now. If Maura could do it, then she could too. Even though Maura could slice open a dead body while explaining the big bang theory and not miss a beat, an amazingly weird skill which Jane did not possess.

Although fear didn't show through her voice, the horse could still sense it much like dogs do. Flash huffed out loudly through flared nostrils and stamped his hooves impatiently. The detective could almost _feel_ the abundant amount of restless energy radiating off of him. It was like the innate desire that she always felt to be on the move, so that she wouldn't have to focus on any particular place, person, or feeling.

It had just been so much safer that way, being so free and unbound.

Then Maura walked into her life and Jane's views were flipped 180 degrees, to where now she suddenly_ needed_ her goofy, but genius counterpart to balance out her life. The basic things were harder to accomplish without her, and yes, it had scared the brunette senseless at first when she found that she couldn't sleep right without the body warmth of not just anyone, but exclusively that which came from the other woman. But it was a fact that she had come to accept about her life, one that seemed brand new after Maura stepped into it with her ridiculously expensive shoes and left footprints all over the crime scene that had once been her failed love life.

"He fell during one of the races and broke his leg pretty bad. His owner wanted to put him down, saying that he was useless and good for nothing," Max explained through gritted teeth and a rather solemn look on his face. "But Pa wouldn't hear of it, so he bought him and we brought him out here to recover."

Maura was partially listening to the story, but most of her attention was focused on Jane. She knew that Jane could really relate to the story after what happened with Hoyt, even going so far as to change partners because she couldn't take working with someone who had seen her at her weakest. It was secretly one of the doctor's fears, that she would see Jane at her very lowest someday and be pushed away as well. However, the honey blonde knew that she was much more persistent than Korsak and that she could handle her own against the stubborn detective.

"Your dad's got a good heart," Jane said quietly with a warm smile, before taking in a deep breath as she looked back at the horse. He had gotten calmer now, turning his head to look at her as though he knew that they were talking about him. It was like a silent understanding went through them in that instant, although no one else saw it. Hell, it might as well have all been in Jane's imagination, because it didn't really make any of this any easier. But it soon became clear that her pride was at stake here too—however little—and it wasn't in her nature to back down from a challenge of any sort.

Especially not from a guy; nevermind the fact that he's also a teenager and too much of a smartass for his own good.

"Yeah, he does. So, uhh… you plannin' on riding anytime soon, or are you waiting for the sun to go down so that you can wear sunglasses in the dark like they do in those fancy cop shows?"

And there it was.

Jane rolled her eyes dismissively at his remark, before moving forward to put one foot down where she was instructed. Taking a moment to brace herself for what she was about to do, she then heaved her other leg over the saddle and held on tight to the reins that were handed to her. Thank god for the perfect combination between basic training and gravity, or else her balance would be complete shit.

"Good job, Jane!" Maura cheered, although she didn't make any sudden movements or loud noises, which in turn could easily scare the animal.

"Told you I could do it," Jane stated triumphantly with a cheeky smile, before hearing Max whistle loudly and feeling the horse move underneath her. And not just _move_, but it was starting to gallop. "Hey, why's he called—oh crap, it's moving! Maura!"

Maura tossed Max a not-so-pleased look, before urging her own horse to catch up to Jane.

"Flash!" Max called after them, cupping his hands over his mouth so that his voice would reach a greater distance. "His name is Flash!"

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><p>"Tree!" Jane yelled as she ducked a branch, wondering why the stupid animal was choosing to run right by the hanging tree branches instead of out on the open field. She was hanging on for dear life, although she was still bouncing on the saddle like a madwoman possessed. The brunette was even starting to question at some point whether she was still riding a horse, or if it had magically turned into a bull somehow.<p>

She knew that was impossible, of course, but she wasn't really thinking straight right now. Jane was thinking pro-life… you know, pro-her own life.

"This is not." _Thump._ "The least bit." _Thump._ "Attractive." _Thump._

Maura had managed to catch up to where they were practically side-to-side, reaching over to her detective. She had been able to eavesdrop on the last few words that came out of the other woman's mouth. And although they were clearly said in a distressed, bitingly sarcastic manner, the doctor still felt like addressing it anyway.

After all, Maura wouldn't be Maura if she didn't.

"I don't think your mother would nag you about finding a notable suitor while you're on a runaway horse. Besides, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you are going far too fast for any onlooker to be able to make any kind of proper physical distinction or appreciation," she said quickly with a small grin, although concern was still etched in her features through the worry lines appearing on the bridge of her nose. "Jane, hand me the reins."

Jane didn't argue, too taken aback by the thought of her early death on the unruly horse, so she quickly handed over the reins when the other pair of hands were within her reach. She watched carefully as Maura tugged back the reins, leaning over and whispering something to the gentle giant as he started to slow down, but not without putting up some resistance and letting out a few loud disgruntled noises along the way. Typical male, letting himself be wrapped around the honey blonde's finger so easily. Although she was one to talk…

Dammit, she was whipped.

"Maura Isles, horse whisperer," the homicide detective remarked, anxious as ever to get back on solid ground and willing her world to stop moving for a second.

Maura giggled softly at Jane's words, immediately recognizing how she was cleverly masking her fear by using humor to deflect it. It was one of her girlfriend's most commonly used defense mechanisms, one that she had come to detect the easiest over time. "Thank you, Jane. But I hardly believe that humans are capable of interacting with animals in another language altogether. However, body language could be considered a language of its own… so in that case—Jane?"

Jane's attention was suddenly preoccupied elsewhere, subconsciously making her way off of the animal (minutely concerned about falling flat on her face, but not for long) and glancing across the large expanse of the clearing which they now found themselves in. The scene itself would have been quite beautiful on its own during any given day, especially how the sunlight danced in between the leaves that crunched loudly beneath her feet. But Jane had a very bad feeling about the group of trees that she was approaching.

Call it a gut thing or a sixth sense, if you must.

It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end with every step that she took, instinctively reaching for her gun on her side. But she was quick to realize that she wasn't on duty right now and that her gun was safely locked away, for the purposes of this impromptu trip to the middle of nowhere. Though after tackling an FBI agent like a linebacker, she wasn't too worried.

See, her tackling skills were still way above average and that should be enough.

When she heard the gentle pitter-pat of feet coming from her side, she blindly lifted a hand to halt the M.E. right in her tracks. She didn't need Maura getting involved in anything, especially when they were both walking around unarmed. Making sure that the coast was clear, Jane moved across the clearing with great stealth and speed, before dropping down to examine something that had caught her attention now that she was visibly hidden by the healthy green foliage.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** My apologies for the delay. I was sick with a bad cold for a week and work's been rather busy, taking up most of my time (like Maura would probably say about 85% and the rest is for sleep and other necessary basic routines to live, haha). Anyway, wow, the interest in this story took me by surprise! I'm glad it's pretty spot-on so far. I have some things worked out, but the story seems to have a life of its own, so I'm just along for the ride. I still don't own anything and all mistakes are my own. Cheers (:

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><p>As a homicide detective, Jane Rizzoli usually expected to find tracks of the murder variety in every situation that she encountered. A severed hand or a decapitated head were nothing out of the ordinary, although they never ceased to make her stomach turn at the very thought that they had once belonged to someone: one of the <em>living<em>, to be precise. But she also honed several skills in the other divisions that she had once worked for.

Leaning down to cradle a plant in her upturned palms, her nose wrinkled at the putrid smell as she examined it closely. She could almost hear Maura counting away the seconds that she was taking to do this, as the doctor was very critical about everything...

Especially when they were gathering evidence.

Jane had been gone for a total of about one minute and twenty seconds, or so Maura estimated. She had not been looking at her watch the whole time, simply waiting instead for some sort of sign to join Jane and stand by her side, right where she belonged. But the signal to proceed did not come and the M.E. was left to her own devices for a moment longer.

(Or maybe two, three, four.)

The honey blonde sharply lifted her gaze when she heard a rustling noise, but it was coming from the opposite direction.

* * *

><p>Jane's investigation was cut drastically short when a large white blur ran right passed her, followed shortly by a lanky teenage boy waving around a pair of shears. Knowing that Maura was still lingering somewhere behind her, she finally stood up and blew her cover. Hopefully their new-found company would know that two against one was a lose-lose situation.<p>

"Woah, hold on! I'm not done yet!" the young male called out to the animal that had escaped his grasp, before stopping short in his tracks at the sight of the two young women staring at him with wide, startled eyes. "Oh, hello… I didn't know we had guests on the grounds." Realizing that they were still staring at the rather _sharp_ tool in his hands, he cleared his throat as he lowered it slowly to his side. "Heh, sorry. I must look like a downright lunatic!"

Jane glanced over at Maura, whose lips were curling into an almost amused smile as a cause of their overreaction, but she didn't seem to share the same sentiment; at least, not yet. "Yeah… somehow I don't see Jo Friday staying still for a grooming session involving one of those," she deadpanned at the medical examiner, before looking back over at the scrawny kid that was still talking. In fact, he hadn't stopped.

"—I didn't even introduce myself, did I? I'm sorry, I—"

"Hey, Sorry. I'm Color Me Surprised and this is Color Me Cheeky," Jane interrupted him with a small nod of acknowledgment over her shoulder at Maura during the latter statement, pretending to ignore the way that the other woman rolled her eyes. "I'm going to assume that the Carsons know that you're chasing around animals and waving sharp objects on their property, yeah?"

"Oh, yes… I mean, I guess you could say that. I work for Mr. Carson. He hires me every year to help him with the sheep," the male replied with a sudden shyness, his eyes now downcast after being faced with the intimidating sight of Jane's perfectly curved brow and her squared shoulder interrogation stance.

Maura noticed the tension that had overtaken their unexpected company, knowing very well the feeling of being ostracized among the living. It was a lot of pressure sometimes. So she immediately took it upon herself to trying to pull him out of it, although Jane remained guarded. "Shears in the middle ages were mainly used to cut the fleece from sheep. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a shearer. Each adult sheep was usually shorn once each year," she stated in a matter-of-factly tone, before watching as the teenager slowly lifted his gaze with a lopsided grin.

"Hey, how do you know that? You got one of those fancy microchips implanted in your head or something?"

Jane's dark brown eyes narrowed slightly in mirth at that, while a deep chuckle rumbled from her throat. "See, Maur. I'm not the only one that wondered about the cyborg thing," she remarked with a bit of a smug look, which was punctuated by her arms crossed over her chest.

The male shearer simply shifted his weight from one foot to the other, pushing the sleeves of his shirt up further along his forearms. He tried to contain a snort from escaping his parted lips, but he failed. "Well, Color Me Cheeky might be a little too pretty for a cyborg," he stated with a shrug, not missing the way that Jane did a double take.

"Oh geez. What is this, bachelorette central?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to threaten your territory, Color Me Surprised. I merely think that her cheekbones are too refined and her hair is too shiny to be considered an artificial, man-made product," he clarified, before tossing an apologetic glance in Maura's direction. "And I mean that in the best possible way."

"Thank you, Sorry," Maura played along, although she was genuinely pleased by the implications of this conversation.

For a good part of her life, the doctor had always felt like she was dancing just on the outskirts of humanity; never quite a part of it, but not fitting under anything else either. Social cues were of little use, she was desensitized to the by-products of death, and she spoke so technically that it was hard to see her fully integrated with the thick of society. But what this young man was telling her was that she was too human to be considered a complete outsider.

"That's probably one of the nicest things I've ever heard."

Jane, for her part, simply huffed in her spot. She didn't feel at all threatened by mister smooth over there, but now there were two people using googletalk and she felt a slight headache coming on. "I'm Jane, actually. And this is Maura," she added after a beat, hoping than an introduction would inspire simple speech again.

"Jane and Maura! I like it. I'm Jerry."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jane! Catch!" Max called as he tossed her a bright red apple, after polishing it with his shirt as best as he could.<p>

Jane managed to turn around and catch it on time, thanking the guy with one of her silent nods in his direction. He seemed to get the hint and disappeared back inside the house. As she leaned against the doorway of the porch, she took a healthy bite of the apple in her hand as her dark brown eyes surveyed the area. She always thought like a cop, no matter where she was.

When she started to move her hand back towards her mouth, the brunette nearly dropped it when she noticed that a huge chunk of the fruit was missing. Glancing down as if it had fallen or something, she suddenly stopped mid-search and trailed her eyes along the well-defined musculature of the perpetrator that had munched on her snack. When their gazes met, Jane sighed as she gave in to the tall competitor, offering the rest of the apple to a golden muzzle.

The rest of it was gone in a mere couple of gigantic bites, but being forever a fan of big exits, Flash nodded his head a few times and stamped his feet, just incase someone didn't notice his grand victory.

And notice Jane did, giving him a few pats on the back as she watched Max slip out the back door. He dropped his keys and picked them up much too quickly to notice that a smaller key was still sitting on the ground. Jane noticed that too, swiping it off of the ground in a quick motion as she took off after him to return it.

But there was certain purposefulness to Maxwell's steps, one that made Jane decide to fall behind a bit and follow him from a distance.

* * *

><p>Maura had been enjoying Jerry's company for a while now. Although he was young, he reminded her very much of herself at his age. She preferred to deal with dead people; he preferred to deal with animals. The company that they chose never outwardly judged either of them, yet they didn't feel alone when they were in the presence of another (even when that presence has already moved on, in Maura's case).<p>

They were walking through the stables, where Jerry had demonstrated how to properly shear the fleece from a sheep. Maura observed how easily he handled the shears, much like she handled a scalpel. It came second nature to them, it seemed.

"So how's your ride holding up these days?" an older male voice cut through the comfortable silence that had built up between them, minus the occasional _baa_ of the sheep.

Maura rose from her spot beside Jerry to properly face the old friend that was addressing her. "My car is in optimum condition," she answered with a smile, recalling the time when her car broke down and Peter was the one to help her through it. She had learned a lot from him and had often advised him to open up his own mechanic auto shop. But Peter always declined with a modest shake of his head, claiming that his life was with the horses and the chickens, not in the city.

The constant stress of the city life had led to a heart attack a few years back, when Max was but a little baby. It was then that he had packed up and decided to move out to the outskirts, smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Now he could only be found by those that were looking for him and what a feeling that was.

"I'm glad to hear it," Peter replied with a genuine smile gracing his expression, before waving back towards the house. "Walk with me."

Maura would never decline such a simple request from a man whose opinion she valued very much. She waved to Jerry as a temporary leave of absence from the world that he had been introducing her to, before easily catching up to the owner of the farmland. It was then that she noticed certain things about him that she hadn't picked up on before. His gait was slower, his skin a little paler, and his eyes were a bit sunken in their sockets.

She knew that it was probably just the process of getting older, but seeing someone deteriorate this way was… well, different.

* * *

><p>"I would ask you to tell me about your life, but we write each other often enough not to have to ask that," Peter said. He appreciated that they had been able to keep in touch since that fateful day when he happened to be in town to stock up on his feed and she was having car trouble.<p>

"That we do, Peter. Although it's really something to actually _see_ what you have done here, instead of just reading it on a screen. The pictures don't do it justice," Maura said with a light intake of air, closing her eyes as a soft breeze drifted through her hair and tickled the very tip of her nose. It reminded her of Jane. Most things did, even when there was no correlation between them and the brunette detective.

"You have that look in your eyes, Doctor Isles," Peter teased with a knowing fatherly look on his face as he watched her closely. "I don't even need my reading glasses to see it. It's written all over your face, m'dear."

Maura opened her eyes slowly as she stared out into the pasture, watching as the horses frolicked and nuzzled each other. It was like they were captive, but their hearts and souls were free for the taking. She felt like that around Jane. Like they were grounded by their jobs that were rooted in the very evil that went on in Boston, but when they were around each other it was easier to remember the existence of everything else out there.

Yes, the simple things, mostly.

Jane was always everywhere. She was there in the rain, in the wind, in the fire, and on the earth. She had the cleansing properties of water, the dismantling abruptness of a gust of air, the penetrating aftermath of a burn, and the messy qualities of dirt.

"Jane."

She didn't realize that she had said it aloud, not until Peter addressed it.

"Ah, yes, the detective," the head of the Carson household said with a nod, not missing the surprised look on the medical examiner's face. "If you're expecting some sort of backlash for your revelation, fear not. I only hope that she treats you right, and the fact that this is not her scene, yet she allowed you to lead her here tells me that there is a great deal of trust between you. That's important."

He waited until she visibly relaxed before continuing.

"I'm not going to write you off simply because of who your heart chose, sweetheart. I respect you. The fact that there's a female detective standing beside you doesn't change the merit that you deserve for your work in the field of forensic science, or your dedication to keeping our friendship alive. It doesn't change anything. She is merely an extension of who you are."

Maura probably shouldn't have been surprised by Peter's reaction, as they had known each other for a good number of years. But she was. She had witnessed firsthand how critical people had been of her relationship with Jane and how easily it changed the dynamics of many settings. Peter's opinion of her mattered, because they were close enough to share many details of their private lives to each other, yet distant enough to be able to look at things from another perspective, not just through rose-colored glasses.

"She is everything I am," Maura stated with a nod, closing her eyes when Peter stepped towards her and embraced her in a hug, something that she needed at the moment.

There were no tears in her eyes, just a slight rattling in her bones that manifested as goosebumps on her flawless skin and a slight shiver from the mental onslaught of rejection that she had anticipated. It settled down to a gentle hum in her heart, which both ached and beat for Jane. It was a contradiction that she didn't worry about solving, as was often the case with many things that were linked to the brunette.

She just needed her, all the time.


End file.
